THOMAS VAN IMBEOEK. 5th May, 1558.
At Cologne, on the Rhine, was apprehended a godfearing brother, named Thomas van Imbroek, a printer, for the sake of the truth, in the year 1557. He was confined in a tower. Being afterwards examined concerning baptism and marriage, he so replied to their objections by the word of God, that they ceased to ask him any more questions, and removed him into another tower. His wife wrote a letter to him, exhorting him to contend with piety, and remain stedfast to the truth. For such consolation he heartily thanked her, and showed by many scriptures that the righteous have always suffered; that he stood with a conscience void of offence before God; forsaking wife, child, and all earthly things to follow him, and to take up Christ’s cross, seeing that God had counted him worthy of the same.
Two priests afterwards came to him, who discoursed with him on infant baptism, but they did not agree with each other ; for the one would have children that died unbaptized to be lost, the other admitted that they were saved. They urged him vehemently to repent : but he said, ” That which I maintain the scripture has taught me, but I will cheerfully submit to him who, by the same scripture, teaches me better.” They said : ” You despise our communion, and will not be taught by us.” He said:”The reason why I despise your church, and do not come to your communion, is, that you do not keep your churchpure ; for oath-breakers, whoremongers, and such like, are all pious brethren with you.” They asked him why he did not have his children baptized ? He answered : “The scripture teaches nothing of infant baptism; and they who will be baptized according to God’s word must first be believers.” They then said that he was a heretic ; but this they could not prove. They afterwards brought him to the rack, where he was closely questioned, but not tortured, although the executioner had all things ready, for the magistrates were not agreed among themselves. This occurred three times successively. After this he was brought into the Landgrave’s house, who would willingly have set him at liberty, had he not dreaded the emperor’s proclamation and the bishop’s displeasure. But Thomas was undaunted, full of comfort, prepared to lay down his life for the name of Christ, and to abide steadfast in the truth and love of God, so that neither fire, toater, sword, nor any other thing, should move him thence. When again brought from the Landgrave’s house, he suffered many temptations during the whole night, from the Landgrave’s people and others, who undertook to teach and instruct him. But all in vain; for they were such as were not themselves instructed or taught of God.
He was, finally, brought before the high court of justice; where he was condemned to death, in the presence of the Landgrave, who then, for the first time, administered the law, and dyed his staff of office in Christian blood. He was beheaded on the 5th day of March, in the year 1558, aged twenty-five years, as a pious witness of Christ, for his steadfast perseverance in the true faith. He sent letters from his prison to his wife and brethren, and a confession of his faith concerning baptism, of which a small volume was published.
- From: Martyr’s Mirror of the Baptist Churches
